It is time to submit nominations for the 2012 National Distinguished Principal for California. This is a recognition award for elementary and middle school principals co-sponsored by the Elementary Council of ACSA and its national affiliate, the National Association of Elementary School Principals.  Selections are made in cooperation with the US Department of Education and corporate sponsor AIG VALIC.

Each year, one K-8 principal is recognized from each of the fifty states. Through ACSA’s Elementary Education Council, twenty-seven principals have been honored in California since 1982. Only fifteen of these NDPs are still active educational leaders, and only eight are still active principals…so, the company is pretty exclusive. The National Distinguished Principal program is designed to recognize the outstanding leadership of active, on-line principals. It is not a recognition of service at retirement nor a national program reward for those honored at the regional or state level.  California certainly has great principals.  California’s NDP should be “the best of the best”.

The National Distinguished Principal nomination period is now open. Applications are due March 30, 2012 to Jessaca Downing, in the Sacramento ACSA office.  The application is quite comprehensive, must be completed by the nominee, and must include letters of reference and support from the nominee’s superintendent, a fellow principal, a teacher on the nominee’s staff, and a parent/community member.  Nomination packets will be reviewed in April by California’s past NDPs, with a selection announced in May.  The 2012 National Distinguished principal will be invited to attend honor ceremonies in Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2012.

Nominees must be active principals, have served in the principalship for at least five years, and remain active in the principalship through the 2012-13  school year. Nominees must display a strong commitment to the principalship through active participation in professional associations and must assume an active role in the community. NDPs are leaders who truly make a difference.

For access to application materials and for more information, please call the ACSA Elementary Education office at (916) 329-3843 and ask for Jessaca Downing, or email jdowning@acsa.org.  Application materials can also be accessed on the Elementary Education Council webpage at www.acsa.org/ndpaward.